I have spent so many years trying to cultivate gratitude, and occasionally it appears in my heart, unmistakably. This usually occurs in the dark, in silence, in the middle of a sesshin (a silent meditation retreat that lasts up to…

I have done so many dumb things in my life I could start a new blog for each category of stupid (risky behaviors I did for men, e.g. tattoos, breaking and entering, etc.; things I quit and the lame reasons…

My good friend, and on the weekends neighbor sent me this last week and I asked her if I could reprint it here, which would make her my very first guest-blogger. Welcome to my world, Evie! So this is a…

Sometimes (often, most of the time?), I forget I am a “Zen Practitioner.” This is usually a good thing because Lord knows nobody would want to be around a stinky Zen person, offering up teachings for whatever ails you. And…

So I heard back from Coffeehouse Press today. Not interested. It’s ok. I really doubted they would take it, but my friend knows someone there, so hey, what the heck! I am trying to keep myself gathered as I continue…

I had the good fortune of spending last weekend at the monastery. It was the 2nd annual senior’s retreat, which means that the 20 or so people who have gone through the process of becoming empowered as senior students…

It all started with my hatred for the Prius. I had been excited to trade in our inherited Subaru outback, not only to to enjoy the obvious advantages of driving a hybrid (the internal advantage being the erroneous, yet powerful…

I am getting ready for a vacation for almost two weeks. I doubt I will write at all during that time. In the meantime, I am preparing a piece for The Weeklings, the good folks who published my piece about…

From as far back as I can remember, I have been searching for my place in the world. When my husband worked in a nursing home, there was an old demented lady there who used to repeat, "Is this my chair? Is this my chair?" I can relate to that lady.

My website is bethanysaltman.com, and my email is bethanysaltman@gmail.com.

ABOUT THIS SITUATIONI started this blog because I was so deeply fatigued by waiting for word on Non-Fiction Book Proposal #3 that, for the first time in my life, I needed something to do.

And because I was so over the hope that if I did this, or that, or the other thing just right, and schmoozed the perfect contact, crafted the most riveting pitch, delivered the juiciest proposal, then, then.....